It looks to be supported in an aluminum plate of some description.
No 14 and Norman Curnow.
The mention of no 14 and Norman Curnow brings back many memories of the Kent and Sussex Section of the VOC sixtyish years ago. From his surname it will be realised that he was a Cornish man who had somehow found his way to the south east of England. His wife at the time was a small lady, who although not French could expertly play the piano accordion while wearing a beret and smoking a brown cigarette. His riding style terrified her and he would laugh at her hitting him on the back and begging him to slow down. That marriage did not survive,
The ‘pig farmer’ mentioned was Joe Karasek who had an interesting history himself. He had been brought up in Nazi Germany and, as a youth, had never questioned the propaganda that the Germans were a superior race surrounded by jealous and acquisitive neighbours. His version of events was that he never questioned this until he found himself and his comrades holding his rifle in the air and walking out to sea with the allied army behind them. When the water got up to his mouth, and he was a tall chap, he asked himself ‘Joe, if we are so superior why are we loosing?’ turned round, was captured and became a prisoner of war. He was put to farm work and eventually married an English lady farmer. I often think that if my father and Joe had met on the battle field they would have been expected to kill each other. We are so much better off now with a mutual interest in old bikes and a pox on the Brexiteers.
It was entirely due to Joe that the Vincent three wheeler survived. Joe’s back ground was engineering and although running a pig farm at the time he read somewhere of the creation of the Vincent three wheeler, he wrote to the factory and found that the machine was still there covered over and was for sale. He bought it and paid a local car restoration company to renovate it and make it legal for use on the roads at the time. Two of our local members, Paul Champion, now section organiser, and Gordon Chewter with his sidecar outfit, were riding through the Kent village of Sandhurst and saw the back end of the car poking out of a garage. They went back and asked whether there was a Vincent engine in the back of it and were told by Mr Barkby that there was, that he was doing the work for a local resident and could not divulge any more information. Paul and Gordon wrote a note to be given the owner mentioning the name Johnny Kemp and his address in Rolvenden high street which at the time was the K&S section headquarters. Eventually Joe turned up and the rest is history, He raced the three wheeler at Silverstone and other circuits and used it on the road.
In the meantime Norman Curnow had disappeared from my life. I spent a lot of time working overseas and only met up with the Vincent crew when back in the UK. Then out of the blue one day I got a call from Norman Curnow. He knew that I had been sailing my homemade trimaran and he had just bought a boat and could I teach him to sail. I could try and I remember going down to one of the harbours near Chichester a couple of time and going out with him to give him some idea. The boat was a 30 odd foot long keeled monohull and I remember him not wanting to reef down when in a strong wind, having the sails in the water and all the crockery in the cupboards crashing about and smashing to my consternation and Norman delight. After a couple of lesson I heard no more but then a few weeks or months later I heard that he had sailed eastwards out of Chichester, had no idea of how to navigate and had stopped somewhere to row ashore and ask where he was.
Once again we lost touch and then many years later I was anchored in Ibiza and was going for a row around my boat when out of nowhere a voice shouted ‘Norman’. I looked around and it took me a while to see who was calling. Then followed what must have seemed like a comedy act as we tried to establish we were both called Norman and that he had recognised me although it took me a while to recall him. Once again there is a story. He then had a fifty foot ferro cement monohull that had been home built over several years. On the maiden voyage the owner/builder had taken his brother for a sail, gone aground on a falling tide, decided to go home for lunch, had a heart attack and died. The boat was rescued and did not sell for several years until Norman bought it, fitted it out, and decided to sail to warmer waters. He was in his local pub the evening before leaving and was chatting to the barmaid and asked if she would like to go along. She had been brought up with a senior military figure as a father, Major or Colonel or some such, and it says much for her spirit of adventure that when I met them several years later, they had no money, a small daughter about three of four years old and were sailing to Greece to pick olives to earn some money. She, the wife, had really done well to adapt to the lifestyle and I remember the little girl getting covered in ice cream or something, her just washing the child’s clothes in a wash basin in the ladies and then drying them under the hand drier. Ten minute and all was as before.
I have never seen or hear anything of them since but it does not come as surprise to learn that Norman became a transatlantic sailor. I just hope that if he and the second wife are still together that they are having a happy life.
The mention of no 14 and Norman Curnow brings back many memories of the Kent and Sussex Section of the VOC sixtyish years ago. From his surname it will be realised that he was a Cornish man who had somehow found his way to the south east of England. His wife at the time was a small lady, who although not French could expertly play the piano accordion while wearing a beret and smoking a brown cigarette. His riding style terrified her and he would laugh at her hitting him on the back and begging him to slow down. That marriage did not survive,
The ‘pig farmer’ mentioned was Joe Karasek who had an interesting history himself. He had been brought up in Nazi Germany and, as a youth, had never questioned the propaganda that the Germans were a superior race surrounded by jealous and acquisitive neighbours. His version of events was that he never questioned this until he found himself and his comrades holding his rifle in the air and walking out to sea with the allied army behind them. When the water got up to his mouth, and he was a tall chap, he asked himself ‘Joe, if we are so superior why are we loosing?’ turned round, was captured and became a prisoner of war. He was put to farm work and eventually married an English lady farmer. I often think that if my father and Joe had met on the battle field they would have been expected to kill each other. We are so much better off now with a mutual interest in old bikes and a pox on the Brexiteers.
It was entirely due to Joe that the Vincent three wheeler survived. Joe’s back ground was engineering and although running a pig farm at the time he read somewhere of the creation of the Vincent three wheeler, he wrote to the factory and found that the machine was still there covered over and was for sale. He bought it and paid a local car restoration company to renovate it and make it legal for use on the roads at the time. Two of our local members, Paul Champion, now section organiser, and Gordon Chewter with his sidecar outfit, were riding through the Kent village of Sandhurst and saw the back end of the car poking out of a garage. They went back and asked whether there was a Vincent engine in the back of it and were told by Mr Barkby that there was, that he was doing the work for a local resident and could not divulge any more information. Paul and Gordon wrote a note to be given the owner mentioning the name Johnny Kemp and his address in Rolvenden high street which at the time was the K&S section headquarters. Eventually Joe turned up and the rest is history, He raced the three wheeler at Silverstone and other circuits and used it on the road.
In the meantime Norman Curnow had disappeared from my life. I spent a lot of time working overseas and only met up with the Vincent crew when back in the UK. Then out of the blue one day I got a call from Norman Curnow. He knew that I had been sailing my homemade trimaran and he had just bought a boat and could I teach him to sail. I could try and I remember going down to one of the harbours near Chichester a couple of time and going out with him to give him some idea. The boat was a 30 odd foot long keeled monohull and I remember him not wanting to reef down when in a strong wind, having the sails in the water and all the crockery in the cupboards crashing about and smashing to my consternation and Norman delight. After a couple of lesson I heard no more but then a few weeks or months later I heard that he had sailed eastwards out of Chichester, had no idea of how to navigate and had stopped somewhere to row ashore and ask where he was.
Once again we lost touch and then many years later I was anchored in Ibiza and was going for a row around my boat when out of nowhere a voice shouted ‘Norman’. I looked around and it took me a while to see who was calling. Then followed what must have seemed like a comedy act as we tried to establish we were both called Norman and that he had recognised me although it took me a while to recall him. Once again there is a story. He then had a fifty foot ferro cement monohull that had been home built over several years. On the maiden voyage the owner/builder had taken his brother for a sail, gone aground on a falling tide, decided to go home for lunch, had a heart attack and died. The boat was rescued and did not sell for several years until Norman bought it, fitted it out, and decided to sail to warmer waters. He was in his local pub the evening before leaving and was chatting to the barmaid and asked if she would like to go along. She had been brought up with a senior military figure as a father, Major or Colonel or some such, and it says much for her spirit of adventure that when I met them several years later, they had no money, a small daughter about three of four years old and were sailing to Greece to pick olives to earn some money. She, the wife, had really done well to adapt to the lifestyle and I remember the little girl getting covered in ice cream or something, her just washing the child’s clothes in a wash basin in the ladies and then drying them under the hand drier. Ten minute and all was as before.
I have never seen or hear anything of them since but it does not come as surprise to learn that Norman became a transatlantic sailor. I just hope that if he and the second wife are still together that they are having a happy life.
Many Many thanks for this great tale that fills in all the blanks as Normans memory is spotty. Exceptional tale especially about the 3 wheeler. That should get published in MPH. What a wild character is Norman . He's sent many short video's of him and his wife sailing his boats to me and some pics of several of his Vincents . Not good clear crisp ones but usefull. Thanks again Carleton
The bracket assembly is 2 plates and some spacers to secure the speedo to the Brampton and adjust the angle for the drive cable run. I had to lengthen the headlamp stays to get clearence as well. The Speedo is a copy of the Smiths special order 6 inch 0-120 mph chronometric instrument that was fitted to an early 30, Sunbeam Model mtc. Both 5 inch and 6 inch Smiths chrono Speedo's were available special order from Smiths in the 30's. Theres a picture of a 6 inch speedo fitted to a late 30,s Brough Superior on the cover of either the Green One or the Blue One as well possibly in 1940. There are pictures of several works Series A TT Replicas fitted with pre war 5 inch speedo's and several of the works racing A Rapide with one on it as well. Before the war Smiths likely used a auto case to hold the instrument as the backs are of 2 diameters and not clean finshed smooth cases like the 3 inch or postwar 5 inch Shadow cast alloy case. The early B Shadow 5 inch case was likely a pre war case with the tin alarm clock shaped cover to cover the knarly looking auto case used. I first became aware of these 6 inch speedo's due to a road test in one of the UK Classic Bike Magazines in the late 80's in a road test of a Sunbeam mtc. with one fitted to it. I began asking around for one but none ever surfaced. A fire at the Natl. mtcy. Museum destroyed the one on a Sunbeam in the collection that had a 6 inch Speedo fitted and the museum wanted to replace it. So a few reproductions were made and when I by pure luck discovered that they were available I had to have one. To watch that long needle swing around the dial is very satisfying .
Any chance of a photo?
Would you recall dates that you may recall as to when (year?)the 3 wheeler was aquired by Joe Carasek. Any recollection of #14 while Norman owned it? Norman mentioned also owning a Harper Engines Renovated Vincent twin which had a big end failure while in his possession. Also a bad crash and serious injuries.
To flashvin,, I will try but it will take a while. I will have to look through MPHs from the fifties and sixties until I find the correct dates. In the mean time and if you are still in touch with Norman Curnow please pass on my regards. He will not know me as Timetraveller but as Norman Walker the Vincent riding astronomer and some time sailor.
I will indeed pass on your name . He messages me spontaneosly no telling when but he's been i. Contact alot recently. Again your story was a rich and facinating deep dive. Love your sense of history timeplace etc.